The Natural Enemies of Books: A Messy History of Women in Printing and Typography

posted by Robyn Pitts March 23, 2020

Published by Occasional Papers, The Natural Enemies of Books: A Messy History of Women in Printing and Typography is edited by feminist graphic design collective MMS (Maryam Fanni, Matilda Flodmark and Sara Kaaman).

As a response to the groundbreaking 1937 publication Bookmaking on the Distaff Side, which brought together contributions by women printers, illustrators, authors, typographers and typesetters, The Natural Enemies of Books highlights the print industry’s inequalities, proposing a takeover of the history of the book.

Beginning with a sense of curiosity, and a wish to trace the roots of the professional landscape that a newly graduated graphic designer is facing today, the 192 page publication is a feminist historiography of contemporary graphic design. Although it is almost 80 years since the publishing of Bookmaking on the Distaff Side, and laptops and flexible working hours have replaced heavy metal typesetting and the punch clock, the testimonials included in today’s reinterpretation are still contemporary and relatable.

The book includes several new essays and poems by Kathleen Walkup, Ida Börjel, Jess Baines and Ulla Wikander, offers conversations with former typesetters Inger Humlesjö, Ingegärd Waaranperä, Gail Cartmail and Megan Dobney, as well as reprints of the original book.

Funded by the Swedish Arts Grants Committee, and through an artist-in-residence period at Grafikens Hus, in collaboration with the Södertälje Konstnärskrets, the softcover, black and white book is available at www.occasionalpapers.org.